Partners Advancing Self-Determination

Funding for this project is from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council in grant # 20188060 to the Arc Michigan.

Partners Advancing Self-Determination (PAS)

is a new four-year project done in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration (BHDDA).

The PAS goal is to increase the availability and use of arrangements that support self-determination (S-D) for people with developmental disabilities in Michigan. PAS staff, along with BHHDA, will provide free state-level technical assistance, training, and support to local Advancement Teams that want to improve Community Mental Health (CMH) processes and, if necessary, change policies to help make sure people are able to direct their own services. In addition to increasing the satisfaction of people receiving services, the project will also help CMHs meet some of the new Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) requirements.

During the first year, fiscal year 2018, PAS will assist two Advancement Teams and then three in each following year. While the most intensive support will be provided to Advancements Teams during the first year, technical assistance will be available for the duration of the grant.

In addition to improving supports at a local level, PAS will facilitate a state-level Advisory Council. With BHDDA the Council will develop/refine state requirements and standards that ensure consistent, quality person-centered planning that results in changes in MDHHS/BHDDA policies, procedures, guidance, and technical assistance.

We are now recruiting Advancement Teams! Join our partnership!

The team members are expected to include:

• Community Mental Health Service Providers (CMHSPs or CMHs)

• Intermediate School Districts (ISDs),

• Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PHIPs)

• People with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), their family members, and allies

• MRS (if applicable)

• Service Providers (if applicable)

• Others

Advancement Teams will participate in a three phase process:

Phase 1
Develop Team & Apply

Advancement Teams will recruit person(s) with developmental disabilities willing to participate and other Team members.

Fill out and submit application by2/2/18.

Applications will be reviewed by the PAS Team and you will be notified by2/15/18.

Phase 2 Training & Support

An introductory session will include disability history, disability pride, and person-centered planning, independent facilitation, and the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) rules so that all team members will begin the process with the same understanding of these topics. We expect each of the training sessions will take around 5.5 hours, including lunch, and occur once per month.

A second session will focus on arrangements that support self-determination. There will be an overview and then a discussion of the process in use at the particular CMH. Team members will identify barriers to be addressed.

In the third session team members will develop a plan to address barriers or to refine the S-D process currently in use. Additional topics will be customized for each group to focus on issues important to them

Phase 3
Outreach

This phase will prepare the Team’s staff to do outreach presentations about self-determination and be a resource for self-directed services in their community.

This session will be done later in the process after the Team has had time to work on assisting people to access self-determination and address barriers.

Technical assistance and support will be provided by the PAS Team and BHHDA to the Advancement Teams to help them: coordinate activities, exchange information, develop documentation, change/develop policies, assess progress on common goals, and provide mutual support.

The Advancement Teams will agree to:

Promote and encourage the use of self-determination arrangements with people with I/DD, including those with high and complex support needs who may communicate non-traditionally, come from diverse backgrounds, and their families in their community

Provide education and training opportunities about self-determination for people with I/DD, including those with high and complex support needs, their family members and allies, including ISD students and their teachers and/or transition coordinators from diverse backgrounds.

To participate in all PAS project evaluation activities, including, but not limited to data collection, focus groups, interviews, etc.

Participate in PAS team meetings and to provide a method for information dissemination throughout their pilot team membership

Develop relationships with ethnically diverse groups represented in their community to assure and improve cultural competence within their pilot team

Anticipated Outcomes include:

Increased number of people who use arrangements that support self-determination yearly in the communities with a PAS Advancement Team

Increased satisfaction from those receiving services and greater ability to direct their lives

Improved ability by the Advancement Teams to support self-determination, as indicated by the number of staff trained and the increased number of people using self-determination arrangements

Individuals with I/DD, including those with high and complex support needs, their family members, and allies have increased knowledge of person-centered planning and self-determination, as indicated by the number of people who request arrangements that support self-determination

MDHHS/BHDDA adopts and implements standards that ensure consistent, quality person-centered planning, that results in people with I/DD directing their own supports and services, as indicated by changes in policies, guidance, procedures and technical assistance

We hope you will join Partners Advancing Self-Determination to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities in your community!